From Antiquity to Byzantium in Late Medieval Italy: Hercules on the Facade of San Marco, lecture by Lenia Kouneni (St Andrews), University of Birmingham, January 19, 2017, 5:15–6:30 pm

Set close to the northern and southern corners of the west façade of the church of San Marco in Venice, there are two reliefs representing Hercules. Although the presence of the pagan hero on the exterior of a Christian church may seem puzzling at first, the decision to include Hercules in the fabric of the Venetian state church can be approached and interpreted through the medieval understanding of the hero as an exemplum virtutis. This talk will aim to demonstrate that the presence of the two Herculean reliefs in such a prominent place goes beyond a Christian interpretation. It is linked to the city’s image, history and values; it alludes to a pre-Roman heritage of the Republic, to military conquest, political authority, cultural and religious legacy; and it played a crucial role in reflecting Venetian ideologies.

Dr Lenia Kouneni is a Teaching Fellow at the University of St. Andrews. Her primary research concern is the notion of ‘influence’ and artistic contacts between different cultures. Her doctoral thesis ‘Antiquity through Medieval Eyes: The Appropriation of Antique Art in the Trecento’ deals with the perception and reception of Greek and Roman antiquity in fourteenth-century Italy. She is also interested in Italo-Byzantine artistic contacts and has published two articles on the influence of Byzantine iconographic types of the Virgin and Child in Italian painting. Lenia’s other research interests include the Grand Tour and the travels and collections made by the British in the eighteenth century.

CBOMGS Seminar